Playing American football before age 12 is linked to long-term neuropsychiatric and cognitive problems

We examined the association between AFE to football and behavior, mood and cognition in a large cohort of former amateur and professional football players. The sample included 214 former football players without other contact sport history. Participants completed the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT), and self-reported measures of executive function and behavioral regulation (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version Metacognition Index (MI), Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI)), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)) and apathy (Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES)). Outcomes were continuous and dichotomized as clinically impaired. AFE was dichotomized into <12 and greater than or equal to 12…Younger AFE to football, before age 12 in particular, was associated with increased odds for impairment in self-reported neuropsychiatric and executive function in 214 former American football players. Longitudinal studies will inform youth football policy and safety decisions. Study in Context Public Brain Health vs. Private Brain Research Funds: How the NFL tried to influence NIH studies Concussion diagnoses among children and teenagers increased by 71% from 2010 through 2015 FDA clears two computerized cognitive tests to assist in medical evaluations following brain injury or concussion
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Cognitive Neuroscience Health & Wellness Technology American football depression executive-function neurological neurological problems neuropsychiatric tackle football Source Type: blogs